Tag: Fiona Clair

Country Classic Wedding at The Glades by Fiona Clair

by gaby

Oh joy! We’re kicking off our week with a wedding from SBB fave Fiona Clair, and it’s as romantic and beautiful as you might expect! Brittany and JP opted for a Midlands wedding right out of the country classic playbook, adding their own spin with personal details that reflected their history and personalities. With greenery, fairy lights, Kraft paper stationery and the most breathtaking Casey Jeanne gown, you won’t be able to help yourself from pinning away! I also love that Brittany took to heart a tip from our friend Jo of Oh Happy Day! here in Durbs, to concentrate on the feeling they wanted to create – such great advice, and the result was an atmosphere of celebration, fun and love. And with Fiona’s oh-so-spectacular images, the picture is complete! Sigh.

Read More

Navy & Lavender Grande Provence Wedding by Fiona Clair

by gaby

Get those pinning fingers ready, because today’s wedding is a fabulous fusion of glamorous and organic, which perfectly suits its Grande Provence setting. After all, this gorgeous estate is as naturally beautiful as it is exclusive. Jessica and David harnessed that natural beauty as the backdrop to their big day, and brought in just the right amount of decor to complement it, including touches of herbs like rosemary at each place setting and lavender (LOVE Jessica’s lavender bouquet) and combined that with glam touches like navy blue sequin bridesmaid dresses (dying over these, seriously!), gold chargers and marquee letter lights from our friends at Lights Love. The result is a perfectly chic backdrop to the culmination of a beautiful romance. And the bonus? Our fave Fiona Clair was there to capture it, as only she can!

Read More

Vineyard Glamour Wedding at Lanzerac by Fiona Clair {Nita & Noël}

by gaby

We adore every wedding we feature here on SBB, but some of them really lodge themselves in the heart and memory, and I have a feeling that today’s is going to be one of those. Especially if the heart palpitations I had when photographer Fiona Clair sent it over for the first time are any indication. Let’s start with the obvious: Nita’s incredible, whimsical, champagne-coloured, sparkle-encrusted, floor-length-sequined wedding gown by Stefania Morland. Because it. is. breathtaking. And I especially love that she’s paired it with an over-the-top rustic ceremony headdress, and a more subtle (but just as pretty) version for the rest of the day. For me, everything else kind of flows from there – soft candlelight, elegant table arrangements (including low topiaries and high statement towers of tulips, all in modern black glass and crystal), a composite bouquet, the palette (black, white and gold with a touch of purple), calligraphed place names, a gold and white cake. And all looking like a Vogue spread thanks to the gorgeous photos of SBB fave Fiona Clair. Take a deep breath, and dive on in.Read More

Rose Noir Wedding at Langkloof by Fiona Clair {Angela & Nic}

by gaby

We tend to wait with bated breath for new weddings by Fiona Clair around here. Not only because we loooove Fee’s incredible, Vogue-worthy images, but because she connects with the most creative brides. Today’s wedding is seriously wow, but what makes it extra extra special, is that Angela happened to be a true SouthBound Bride, and a big fan of the blog while planning her wedding. Well, Angela – we’re a huge fan of yours! Everything about this wedding is amazing and the details of Angela and Nick’s big day integrate like a beautiful story unfolding – red roses and monogram stripes everywhere (a look the couple charmingly dubbed ‘Rose Noir’), fun touches, the most gorgeous wedding dress (topped off with a romantic red rose crown). There’s even a bold paper rose photo backdrop. And all of that chic modern style contrasts perfectly with a super romantic alfresco setting. Quite simply, it’s my kind of heaven.Read More

Bohemian Glamour Wedding at The Glades by Fiona Clair {Jean & Brett}

by gaby

Hot damn, am I ever excited to share this wedding with you! The first time I saw it, I pretty much mailed photographer Fiona Clair straight away saying: “no seriously, that’s a styled shoot, right?” And she laughed and reassured me that it was, in fact, a real wedding full of real (albeit ridiculously beautiful) people, and that the couple were awesome and head over heels in love, and the whole day was filled with the kind of feeling and joy that you just can’t fake in a photo shoot. Look beyond the incredible wedding dress (OMG that dress!) and the fashion forward forest fairy bridesmaids and the ombre aisle and the forest fairytale decor, and you’ll see that it’s true. This is a wedding that’s beautiful on both the inside and the outside – captured to perfection by Fiona’s breathtaking pictures. A special huge thank you shout-out to the lovely Jean for finding time to answer our questions as a new mum – and congrats on your little one!Read More

Wedding Video: Joelene & Stef

by gaby

So how adorable was today’s real wedding? We couldn’t get enough of it, quite literally, so we had to sneak in another look at Jo & Stef’s big day by way of their wedding video by the fantastically talented Shank Tank team (as well as a couple of extra pics by the fab Fiona Clair). As well as getting a closer look at that dreamy decor (mixed metallic origami, wowsers) and chic bride and bridesmaid style (I’m even more in love with Jolene’s dress now!), you get a real sense of the excitement and love that went into this beautiful wedding. And that’s what it’s all about :)

[vimeo 101077054 w=610]

Winter Pastels Wedding at Calderwood Hall by Fiona Clair {Joelene & Stef}

by gaby

My love affair with Fiona Clair‘s photography goes a way back, but it didn’t take long for new SBB team member Candice to fall head over heels with her work as well. So when we snapped up this winter pastel wedding set in the Natal Midlands, we couldn’t stop gushing to each other about how gorgeous every single image was. You probably know by now that I’m a sucker for pastels, and I LOVED Jolene’s take on the palette, taking it from summer staple to winter whimsy completely effortlessly. Add in mixed metallics (♥), painted bottles and origami, a vintage plate table plan, a handpainted banner proclaiming ‘Oh happy day!’, an illusion lace dress, flower crowns, faux fur shrugs… every detail, basically. Oh happy day, indeed!Read More

Wedding Video by The Shank Tank {Taetim & Darren}

by gaby

We don’t feature a lot of wedding films here on SBB, but some just capture my heart and my imagination, and today’s joy filled video by The Shank Tank was an immediate favourite. I adore Jewish weddings – they’re filled with the most incredible, meaningful traditions as well as a vibrant atmosphere of love and celebration (and lots and lots of dancing!). Tae and Darren’s film really captures all this as well as the connection between a gorgeous couple. And when I heard that my fave Fiona Clair had taken the pictures (including some breathtaking portraits of Tae in her beautiful lace dress!), I just had to do a mini wedding feature to celebrate.Read More

It’s a Beautiful Day

by gaby

It’s Wednesday, and although I have a kickass wedding to share with you later, I am starting the day with an incredible couple shoot. With pictures so lovely that I get actual goosebumps every time I look at them, such is their loveliness. Durban photographer Fiona Clair is fast becoming a fave of mine, and she has outdone herself with this couple shoot taken of Tessa and Wayne after their wedding day, with their BEYOND adorable family. (Seriously, I would consider having children if you could guarantee they’d turn out as cute as these three boys.) They have a special story, and everything in this shoot is just perfect – the light, the backdrop, that special glow – for a celebration of their new life together. I also love that this was Tessa’s response to some disappointment with her actual wedding photos, because for one reason or another, sometimes that happens. It must be difficult, but if this shoot proves anything, it’s that your big day doesn’t have to be the only day you can rock a photoshoot (or a big white dress). And there’s no question Tessa and Wayne will treasure these pics in the years to come – congrats to all of you!Read More

Real Wedding at Rain Farm Game & Lodge {Sarah & Matt}

by gaby

Just when you think you’ve seen everything, you find a wedding at a game lodge inspired by a perfume advert (and I don’t mean ‘Beautiful’). A wedding that takes its blueprint from  a fashion shoot. A wedding that should represent everything about this industry that we’re always being criticised for – that we’re all about the form over content, that we’ve lost sight of what’s meaningful, and classic, and appropriate. A wedding that, as it happens, turns that criticism on its head. Because the thing is, that fashion is bride Sarah’s passion. It’s what she does for a living, it’s what inspires her. So when she dreamt up her special day, it didn’t look like an Estee Lauder advert. It was elemental and edgy and, as it turns out, exquisite (thanks in part to the stunning pictures by Fiona Clair), but it was also very personal – an expression of romance in the couple’s private language. This is the kind of wedding that reminds me of why I love weddings – of the infinite creativity that can go into designing them, of the way you can take a concept you love and make it classy and classic, even as it’s vibrant and unique. And meaningful? Well, you only have to read Sarah and Matt’s ‘how we met’ story to know that this is one very special love story, and that’s only fitting, because it’s one very special wedding day. I’m inspired by it. I’m invigorated by it. Fact: I bloody love it.Read More